With 20 seconds remaining in the Gophers loss to New Mexico State earlier today, head coach Jerry Kill collapsed on the sideline and had a seizure. He was immediately attended to by Gophers trainers and paramedics.
With his wife Rebecca at his side, he was given an IV and oxygen on the field before being put on a stretcher, put in an ambulance, and taken to the University of Minnesota hospital. There were some reports that his seizure might have been brought on by the heat, but that has not been confirmed. It was close to 100 degrees on the field at TCF Bank Stadium today.
Thankfully, it looks like he'll be okay. Ever since Kill was treated for cancer, he has had an issue with this seizure disorder, having once collapsed on the field in 2005, while the coach for Southern Illinois. According to Dr. Pat Smith, who near as I can tell on Twitter is the tending physician (he is not listed as a Gophers team doctor via their official website) his vital signs are normal, his life was never at risk, and he has been given a sedative, which is standard procedure for an episode like this.
It was defintely a scary sight for Gopher fans, as TCF Bank Stadium feel eerily silent, and players and fans held their breath while Kill was being attended to. After the game, defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys informed the press that this is a known condition for Coach Kill, the team was briefed about it after he was named coach, and Coach Kill has never missed a game because of it.
We'll have more on the actual game itself, but for now, let's just be thankful that it looks like Jerry Kill will be okay, and at the end of the day, that's what is really important.